Almost Three-Fourths of Construction Firms Plan to Expand Headcount in 2017

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Seventy-three percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2017 as contractors expect private and public sector demand to grow in all market segments, according to survey results recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate. Despite the general optimism outlined in Expecting a Post-Election Bump: The 2017 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, many firms report they remain worried about the availability of qualified workers and rising health and regulatory costs. Contractors had a positive outlook, on net, for all 13 market segments included in the survey. Respondents are most … Read more

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ABC Predicts Modest Growth for 2017 Nonresidential Construction Sector

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Associated Builders and Contractors forecasts a slowdown of growth in the U.S. commercial and industrial construction industries in 2017. While contractors are vulnerable to rising commodity prices and potential interest rate increases in 2017, the middling consumer-led recovery should still lead to modest growth in construction spending and employment. “The U.S. economy continues to expand amid a weak global economy and, despite risks to the construction industry, nonresidential spending should expand 3.5 percent in 2017,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For more than two years, the Federal Reserve has been able to focus heavily on stimulating … Read more

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